The present invention relates to a sheet feeding unit and an image forming apparatus using the sheet feeding unit.
In relation to a separation mechanism that separates sheets held in a stacked manner, to convey and feed the separated sheets one at a time, a related separation mechanism adopts a separation-pad-type separation mechanism comprises a separation pad that contacts a delivered sheet, thereby imparting predetermined conveyance resistance to the sheet, and a separation roller that rotates while pressing the sheet against the separation pad.